Dental floss
AssigneeColgate-Palmolive Company
InventorsJohn P. Curtis, James H. Kemp
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A dental floss is produced from expanded polytetrafluoroethylene that has been coated with a friction enhancing coating such as a microcrystalline wax to increase the friction coefficient of the floss. The polytetrafluoroethylene is preferably expanded to form a structure having a plurality of nodes interconnected by fibrils. The floss has a tensile strength of at least about 10,000 psi and a weight of about 500 denier to about 1500 denier. The coefficient of friction of the wax coated floss ranges from about 0.08 to 0.25. The floss may be comprised of a single strand or multiple strands. The floss may contain an optional dentifrice or pharmaceutically active material for delivery to the tooth and gum surfaces during use.
Claims20
A dental cleaning floss comprising at least one polytetrafluoroethylene strand that has been expanded by stretching under conditions to increase the tensile strength thereof, said floss having a coating of at least one material capable of increasing the coefficient of friction, wherein said dental floss has a denier of about 500 to 1500 and a coefficient of friction of about 0.08 to about 0.25.
A dental cleaning floss comprising a thread formed from a plurality of polytetrafluoroethylene strands that have been expanded by stretching at an elevated temperature, said floss including at least one material capable of increasing the coefficient of friction of said polytetrafluoroethylene, wherein said dental floss has a denier of about 500 to 1500 and a coefficient of friction of about 0.08 to about 0.25.
A dental cleaning floss comprising at least one polytetrafluoroethylene strand that has been expanded by stretching under conditions to increase the tensile strength thereof, said floss having a coating of at least one material capable of increasing the coefficient of friction, wherein said dental floss has a denier of about 500 to 1500 and a coefficient of friction of about 0.08 to about 0.25.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.